Coun Carter, conservative shadow spokeswoman for community safety, earlier told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “At a certain point we have to ask if the managed approach is really working on the ground as intended or if it is making things worse.

“Positive work to engage women with support services is to be welcomed, but we cannot ignore the impact on local residents and businesses, many of whom are saying the situation has deteriorated.

"These are people who are living with the day to day reality of the policy, who see the rules being flouted, the increase in litter, and who worry about the reputational damage to their communities. The council has a duty to listen to and address their concerns.

“The council and its partners must now act decisively, and to a defined timetable, and set out how they intend to prove the managed approach can work as intended for local people. If they cannot do that, it must be suspended.”

The scheme, which was introduced by community safety partnership Safer Leeds in October 2014, allows street sex workers to operate in parts of Holbeck during certain hours, with the aim of getting more of the women to engage with support services.